


The Moment I Knew

by dark_wing19



Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, Holidays, Humor, Other, Reader-Insert
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,872
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26257621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dark_wing19/pseuds/dark_wing19
Summary: Though he didn't say the words outright, the look in his eyes and his actions up to that point conveyed all you needed to know.In that moment, you just knew.Reader/DuoSlight Reader/Quatre if you squint
Comments: 3
Kudos: 2





	The Moment I Knew

**Author's Note:**

> I'm in the process of rereading and moving some of my stories over here. I remember having this plot bunny and thought it was a cute story, so I wanted to share. I know I reread a typo, but I couldn't for the life of me find it without rereading it for a third time. Oh well. Hope you all enjoy anyway!  
>   
> This song is inspired by the song, "The Moment I Knew" by Taylor Swift.  
>   
> I hope you enjoy!  
>   
> Disclaimer: I do not own GW, the song, or anything else recognizable in here. I do, however, lay claim to the plot.

“Ma'am! We finished cleaning the windows! What's next on the 'to-do' list?”

You paused in your stride and looked over your shoulder to see a pair of twins enthusiastically waiting your next order. Both girls sported brown bobs and forest green eyes that shone with fervor. Honestly, the only way you could tell the difference between the two teens was by the pair of glasses the older twin wore. 

“Nikki, Vicky,” you greeted. “My, you two are fast. That took no time at all.”

“Of course! We want everything to be _perfect_ for Mr. Winner's birthday party!” Nikki replied, a wide grin on her face. 

“I _believe_ that we're supposed to be getting ready for a _Christmas_ celebration,” Vicky corrected, adjusting the simple glasses perched on her nose. The younger twin rolled her eyes exasperatedly. 

“Believe what you want, but it's secretly for his birthday-- I just _know_ it!” 

“Now, now girls. Even though the day may happen to be on Mr. Winner's birthday, he is wanting everything decorated for a Christmas celebration,” you supplied. The twins stuck their tongues out at each other as if to prove the other wrong. You smiled at their antics. “Regardless, why don't the two of you help Roland with the decorations? I believe he's still in the storage area.”

“Yes, ma'am!” they replied in unison, heading back the way they came down the hallway. 

You turned back around and continued your journey toward the kitchen. After confirming with the kitchen staff that everything was going according to plan, you wrote a few notes on your clipboard and headed back into the hallway. You followed your routine as you checked on the other staff members in the Winner household, ensuring that everything was going to plan. 

Your job was a variety of different roles, one of which was to manage the household staff. Occasionally when it pertained to charity events or galas held on the Winner property, you were in charge of media relations and the invitation list. What Quatre preferred to call your role was his personal assistant.

What his wealthier associates sometimes called you was a glorified house maid.

Being a maid-- or as Quatre called it, “hired help”-- was not a new career for you. From a young age, you found yourself in this line of work. You were orphaned at seventeen due to the war and chose to drop out of school to get a job and support yourself. Shuffling through a few different households over the years, you found yourself at Quatre's doorstep one summer afternoon after seeing an ad in the paper. It had been a little over a year since you started working for Quatre, and you quickly learned that he greatly differed from the others of his class. While others tended to be snobbish and overly proud, Quatre was humble and genuinely cared about his company and staff. It was apparent that everyone around him, rich or poor, held him in high regard-- yourself included. 

You respected Quatre Winner and were proud to work for him.

You reread your notes as you continued down the hall, fully intending to report to Quatre about the progress of the upcoming party preparations, when a commotion down an adjacent corridor caused you to pause. Quirking an eyebrow, you detoured to the front door. Upon reaching the entrance, you leaned against the archway and crossed your arms in front of your chest, amused at the scene.

Nikki and Vicky were fawning over the braid yielding male standing dumbfounded on the doorstep. You didn't know what it was about Duo that fascinated the teens so much, but they made a habit of doing the teenage thing and oogling over him every time he visited. Nikki clung to Duo's right arm while Vicky clung to his left, both girls squealing incoherent compliments. Duo, being his normal charming self, took the girls' antics in stride, clearly used to the action.

“Girls, weren't you supposed to be helping Roland?” you said, quirking an eyebrow. At the sound of your voice, both girls instantly ceased their cooing and released Duo, realizing that they had been caught. They simultaneously turned to you wide-eyed with perfect posture and bowed deeply.

“Sorry, ma'am!” You gave the girls an amused smirk before you pushed away from the archway and stepped toward the trio.

“Get going,” you softly chastised. The twins straightened and immediately hurried down the hallway. Nikki paused and turned around to blow Duo a kiss over her shoulder before hurrying after her sister. You shook your head as you walked over to Duo's grinning form.

“You know? I'd say that they were harassing you if I didn't already know that you enjoyed it.”

That comment earned you a bark of laughter from your guest. 

“I may or may not enjoy the attention,” Duo confirmed, a wide grin on his face as he placed a lax arm around your shoulders. “Be better if it was from you.”

You rolled your eyes at his flirting. Just like the scene you walked upon, this was also a common occurrence with Duo's visits. You'd be lying if you said you didn't enjoy his flirtatious comments. In the beginning, it made you nervous and uncomfortable, but eventually you learned that it was just part of his friendly, easy-going nature. Duo's visits weren't incredibly often, but they were often enough that you formed a comfortable friendship.

“To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?” you asked, steering Duo in the direction that you were previously headed, already knowing the answer to your question. 

“I thought I'd drop by and see how my bestest friend is doing. Oh, and Quatre, too,” Duo replied, his arm still draped over your shoulder while his other hand was casually placed in his pocket. 

“Oh, stop!” You couldn't resist the rather large smile that made its way to your lips and gave Duo a playful nudge with your shoulder. He laughed in response. 

The two of you fell into a comfortable conversation as you made your way to Quatre's office. Casual conversation about work turned to the party that was to take place next week.

“Yeah, even Relena said she would be able to attend,” you commented as you looked down at the clipboard in your hand and flipped between two pages. “Miraculously, Trowa and Catherine are also able to come. They called to confirm yesterday. Looks like I'm only missing three people.”

“Oh, who?” Duo asked curiously, leaning over to take a peek at your clipboard. 

Before he could read any names, you pulled the clipboard to your chest to block his prying eyes. Duo's company always put you in a good mood, and in that moment, you felt...playful. In a bit of a dramatic flare, you paused walking and pressed the side of your body against his. You took advantage of the arm still draped over your shoulder and leaned your head against his shoulder, looking up at him innocently. 

“Duo, darling, will you be attending the festivities to be held next week?” you asked in your best sultry voice, batting your eyelashes for dramatic flare. 

You didn't miss the way his cobalt hues briefly flashed with surprise before darkening. 

“I wouldn't miss it for the world,” he replied, voice husky as he slightly leaned down. 

“Beautiful,” you said, your composure seemingly back to normal, and pried yourself away from the male. “I can now mark your name off my wanted list.”

You pulled the pen out from the top of the clipboard and marked a check mark next to Duo's name, leaving a surprised companion in your wake. On the outside, you hoped you looked composed, but inside, your heart hammered a tattoo against your chest. In the past, you had flirted with Duo but nothing like what you had just done. You were testing the waters, so to speak. It was undeniable that you felt attraction toward the male, but you were uncertain about how he actually felt for you. 

Were his playful and flirtatious comments just that, or were they more? 

Noticing that your footsteps were the only ones echoing down the hall, you paused and looked over your shoulder. 

“Coming?”

He blinked rapidly a few times before he replied smartly, “Uh, yeah.”

You smirked and took a few more steps before pausing in front of a closed door. You knocked on the door three times. There was a muted response from behind the door, but you knew from past experiences that it was a noise of affirmation. You opened the door and stepped to the side to reveal Duo behind you.

“You have a visitor, Mr. Winner,” you said, following behind Duo after he walked into the office. Quatre looked up from his paperwork and his expression brightened upon the sight of his friend. 

He quirked a golden brow at you. “I thought I told you to call me Quatre. And you don't always have to be so formal, you know.” 

You chuckled and replied, “My apologies. Old habits die hard, I guess.”

You made your way over to Quatre's desk and placed the clipboard on the corner. Your report could wait while the two of them caught up. 

“I'll go get the two of you something to drink. The usual?” you asked.

“Yes, please,” Quatre answered, putting his pen down and leaning back in his chair. 

With a nod, you turned to leave the office, offering Duo a shy smile when you caught his eye. Your heart gave a shuddering thud at the unreadable look he gave you. There was something dangerous yet sensual about it. You averted your gaze and left the office, possibly adding a little more sway to your hips than was necessary.

~*~*~*~*~

The sun hadn't even risen when you woke up that morning. Right at five thirty, you were awake and dressed, ready for the day's events. Today was a very special day, and everything had to be absolutely _perfect._

Grabbing the small envelope on the stand beside the door, you stepped out of your personal quarters and quietly made your way down the hall. Most of the individuals hired at the Winner estate left the premises after the end of their shift to go home to their families. You happened to be one of the exceptions that didn't. Due to your circumstances, you considered yourself more or less a nomad with no where to truly belong and no home to go back to. And being the kindhearted person he was, Quatre opened his home to you. 

Even with a lifetime of servitude, you doubted that you could ever repay him for his kindness. 

And even on special days such as this, Quatre refused to accept any sort of gift from anyone. You remembered how he practically scolded the rest of the staff for pitching in to get him a nice watch for his birthday last year. He said that the money should have been spent on their families rather than himself. 

Even though he didn't want anything for his birthday, you still felt that he needed _something_. Deciding to forgo gifts this year, you decided to go a more sentimental route. The envelope you held contained a simple birthday card that you got all the staff to sign. Some wrote a simple “Happy Birthday” while others wrote a few birthday wishes. It was cute and simple enough that Quatre couldn't possibly get mad, but still conveyed that he was appreciated and thought of on his birthday.

Quietly, you opened the door to Quatre's office. He wouldn't be down for another hour, so you felt it was a good opportunity to leave the card on his desk. He didn't want to make today such a large deal, so you were going to oblige by his wishes. You placed the card in the center of his desk and left the office. Heading to your own office just down the hall, you grabbed the clipboard with the checklist for the evening's party from your desk and began you rounds for the morning. 

By noon, Nikki and Vicky began avoiding you and your nervous energy. When two rolled around, the kitchen staff officially banned you from the kitchen for hovering too much. It was around three when you found yourself in the ballroom, reexamining the décor. 

Christmas lights and garland decorated the banister and support pillars, accentuated with fake snow and pine cones. In the far corner of the room, there stood a large twelve foot tree, decorated elegantly with gold garland, red and silver ornaments, and topped with a golden star. More garland and lights framed the windows and stage where the orchestra would be playing later that evening. Along the far wall of the ballroom were the banquet tables, draped in red table cloths. White pillar candles nestled comfortably in the tables' centerpieces. 

Overall, you couldn't find anything wrong, yet you found yourself continuously fidgeting. 

You jumped, startled, when Quatre placed a hand on your shoulder.

“Oh, Mr. Wi-- Quatre,” you caught yourself before falling back into formalities, “happy birthday!”

“Thanks,” he replied with a smile and light chuckle.

“What are you doing down here?” you inquired, crossing your arms in front of your chest with a lack of anything better to do.

“I came to see if everything was okay.”

“So far everything is going smoothly. The kitchen staff are on track, and the final touches of the décor are in place. I believe the twins are taking care of preparing the foyer where guests will be arriving and--” Quatre held up his hand to pause your rambling.

“I meant with you,” he supplied. You blinked at him owlishly for a few moments before he continued, “The staff seem to be under the impression that you're stressed about something.”

You averted your gaze to the side, guilty that your actions had caused the staff to get Quatre to intervene.

“I wouldn't necessarily say I'm stressed. More or less just...anxious...and a bit nervous,” you replied. 

“And why is that? You yourself said that everything was going smoothly.”

“I'm not worried about preparations. I guess it's more for later this evening.” Your eyes roamed around the ballroom until they landed on the grand tree. 

“Ah,” Quatre said in understanding. He turned and gazed at the Christmas tree with you, placing his hands in his pockets. “Is it about joining the festivities?”

You hummed in confirmation and paused before replying, “That's part of it.”

Quatre had told the staff that once the party started, they could take the evening off to either join the party or head home to be with their families. A few of the staff members would still be around to serve drinks and help with the food, but it was only on a volunteer basis. He wasn't going to force anyone to stay if they didn't want to. You were the only exception. Though you had volunteered to help the staff, he had practically ordered you to take the night off and join the party, claiming that the experience would be good for you.

These types of festivities weren't new to you in the least, but what _was_ new was actually being apart of it. Normally, you would be part of the staff, serving guests and managing the crew. It confused you slightly, but you just attributed it to his kind nature, seeing as you worked constantly and had no family to spend time with. 

“And the other part?” Quatre inquired, glancing at you from the corner of his eyes. His stare caused you to fidget once more, but you offered no response. 

“Does it have to do with Duo?” he questioned with an air of confidence that suggested it was more of a statement rather than a question. 

Heat instantly rushed to your face as you kept your gaze firmly planted on the tree. 

“...Maybe,” you answered quietly after a pause. It was true that you had a few things on your mind, but Duo was certainly at the top of that list. A soft chuckle from beside you finally pulled your sights to your companion. Quatre offered you a soft smile of understanding.

“I promise, you have nothing to worry about,” he supplied, hoping to alleviate some of your anxiety. 

You offered him a small smile of your own before you replied, “That doesn't stop me from being nervous though.”

It had been a few months ago when Quatre questioned you about flirting with his friend and how you felt. Immediately, you had thought that you were being fired. You knew that in most circles, it was frowned upon for their staff to flirt or show any attraction toward their friends or family. But in Quatre's case, it seemed to stem more from actual curiosity rather than concern. You had confided in him that you found his friend attractive and enjoyed his company, but also raised your doubts that he would ever reciprocate your affections. 

With some encouragement from Quatre, you planned on telling Duo how you felt at the party. 

It took days of debating with yourself on whether today necessarily _had_ to be the day you confessed. In all honesty, any other day would be just as good. But today was _special_. And special things meant doing things differently. It would either be the best day of your life or the worst, depending on what the brunette had to say. 

“Well, here's some food for thought: what if he planned on doing the exact same thing?”

That caught your attention. Having fully obtained your attention, you blinked at him owlishly.

“Wait, what?”

“It's just a thought,” Quatre said and turned his gaze back to the tree, a mischievous gleam in his gaze. “It seems to me that you're so caught up in negatives that you aren't thinking about what the positive outcome could be.”

Oh he knew something.

You narrowed your gaze at him.

“What do you know that I don't?” you asked, curiosity getting the better of you. He chuckled in response. 

“It's not my place to say.” He then turned toward you and placed his hands on both your shoulders, quickly turning you around to face the entrance of the ballroom. “Now, why don't you take the rest of the evening off to unwind and get ready for the party? Guests should be arriving here in the next few hours.” 

Before you could even utter a response, Quatre quickly ushered you out of the ballroom. You stood in the hallway, baffled by your employer's actions. His words echoed through your mind as you casually made your way to your personal quarters. A new wave of nervousness washed over you and caused your heart to thud wildly inside your chest.

Was what Quatre implied true?

~*~*~*~*~

Two and a half hours later, you found yourself staring into the full length mirror attached to your closet. You had picked out a red dress with a lace overlay that was embellished with matching red beads. The red lace came up to your neck, making you feel modestly covered yet exposed at the same time as your skin peaked through the lace's floral design. The sleeves hugged your biceps before widening at your forearms, leaving your shoulders bare. The dress hugged your form and stopped just above your knee. Red pumps completed your attire. The make-up you chose for the evening was simple and greatly resembled your day to day make-up. The only exception was the cherry red of your lips to match the dress. Crystalline earrings dangled from your ears and swayed as you fussed with your loose curls one last time.

You felt gorgeous.

With one final look, you turned and left your room. Your strides were casual as you ventured down the halls toward the ballroom. You tried your best to ignore the knots that formed in your stomach from your nerves. For a brief moment, doubts filled your mind, everything from your choice of dress to whether or not you really belonged here. Fleeting thoughts filled your mind about what others were going to say about how you looked. 

You wondered if Duo would like it. 

Taking one last, shuddering breath, you quietly entered the ballroom. 

Twinkling lights that adorned the room were lit, giving the atmosphere a soft, white glow. The room itself buzzed with life, ranging from the friendly conversations held around the room to the couples dancing to the upbeat Christmas carols played by the orchestra. To the side, you saw that the tables were filled with an assortment of finger foods, and the centerpieces were lit. A soft smile made its way to your lips as you soaked up the atmosphere. 

Just as you had predicted, the room was stunning.

To avoid unnecessary attention, you clung to the side of the ballroom as you ventured toward the makeshift bar to grab a glass of wine. You leaned against the wall and took a sip, enjoying the taste as you observed the party's guests. As your gaze traveled from person to person, you matched faces to names that were on the guest list. Part of you wanted to fall back into your normal role of ensuring the guests were enjoying themselves and were taken care of, but another part reminded you that you weren't here to serve. 

You were here as a guest yourself. 

After finishing your glass of wine, you felt your skyrocketing nerves quiet down, if only slightly. It was after you finished your second glass when you finally felt brave enough to socialize. You spotted Quatre over by the Christmas tree, happily conversing with who you recognized as two of his sisters. Figuring it was best to let him know that you had joined the party, you made your way across the room to him. He was still in conversation when you came to a stop behind him. 

With an amused smile, you tapped him on the shoulder and waited for him to turn around. The look of surprise on his face only caused a full-blown grin to break out across your face.

“I made it,” you said before shifting your gaze to the two sisters behind him. “It's a pleasure to see you ladies, as always.”

You recognized the two as Irene and Sylvia, both of which were ten years Quatre's senior. Irene had sleek, blonde hair that she kept held back in a ponytail while Sylvia left her brownish blonde hair down around her shoulders. While you were aware that Quatre had twenty-nine older sisters, these were the only two that you had ever met. It was a mystery to you why the other twenty-seven never came around, but you felt that it wasn't your place to make judgment or ask. 

“(Y/n)! You're finally attending a party as a guest. I'm so happy to see that! And you look stunning!” Sylvia exclaimed and offered you a bright smile. You smiled in return.

“Well, I was more or less forced to this go around,” you replied, sliding your gaze toward Quatre, who seemed completely unperturbed by your accusatory statement. 

“Good. You always work so hard. You deserve a break, too, dear,” Irene said, taking a sip from the wine glass in her hand.

Quatre chuckled and replied, “I couldn't have said it better myself.”

You chatted with the three siblings for a good twenty minutes before you decided to break away and make your rounds of socializing. You greeted Relena and Heero by the orchestra and chatted with them for fifteen minutes before you moved on. One of your stops was by the banquet tables, where you found Trowa and Catherine. As you became the social butterfly and flitted across the room, a frown made its way to your face. 

Where was Duo?

An hour and a half into the party, you still hadn't seen him. Your eyes scanned the room once more to ensure that you hadn't just accidentally missed his entrance. No such luck. The evening was still young, though, and Duo liked to have the dramatic flare of showing up late, so you kept your hopes up. Every fifteen minutes, you glanced at the entryway in hopes that your knight in shining armor would arrive.

Halfway through the party, you found yourself leaning against the wall with another glass of wine in hand, frowning at the burgundy liquid. Even if he was prone to lateness, Duo should have been there. You thought for a moment that maybe your stunt last week had pulled a false confirmation about his attendance, but even Quatre said that he would be there. It wasn't like Duo to flake on one of Quatre's celebrations. If he was unable to attend, then he would have called ahead of time to let you know. 

Maybe something had happened.

With a heavy sigh, you placed your still full wine glass on the bar and made your way through the entrance to the foyer. As the time ticked by, you felt less inclined to participate in party activities but knew that Quatre would reprimand you for leaving the party so early. So you chose to collect your thoughts in the hallway, away from prying eyes. 

You were more than willing to bet that something happened to prevent Duo from arriving. And although you understood that it was a very real, possible reason, you were disappointed. All the nervousness and anxiety you had felt earlier in the day now seemed pointless. Your mind argued that maybe this was a sign and you had saved yourself the embarrassment of rejection. Another part argued that there was still time, and he could show up at any moment. Then there was the quiet voice in the recesses of your thoughts that voiced its worry that something truly horrible had happened to Duo on his way to the Winner estate. 

You sighed and stared out one of the large windows that overlooked the front of the property. Snow had begun falling a few hours ago and lightly dusted the ground. Maybe the snow was stalling him.

“He said he'd be here,” you mumbled to yourself, sadness evident in your voice. Footsteps from your right pulled your attention from the window to your visitors. You weren't surprised as Quatre and Heero made their way toward you. 

“Still no sign of him?” Quatre asked as he came to a halt in front of the window. You shook your head in response.

“Who?” Heero asked, his brows furrowing in confusion.

“Duo,” Quatre answered. “He said he would be able to make it today.”

Heero raised his brows in surprise before responding, “Last time I checked, he was still on that mission with Wufei.” 

You had known that Wufei was unable to attend this evening due to a mission. What you hadn't known was that Duo was also a part of it. You remained silent as you listened to their conversation. 

“Duo told me about the mission, but he said that he was only doing some scouting and would be back a few days before today,” Quatre informed, a frown marring his face.

“Maybe something went wrong.”

“Maybe...I hope everyone is okay.”

You glanced at the pair from the corner of your eyes. Both males wore matching, somber looks as they gazed out the window. You may have been disappointed and now worried, but you couldn't possibly imagine the thoughts running through their minds. 

“Hey, I'm sure everything is okay. It's probably something dumb like the snow that's keeping him. You know that Duo always throws the biggest fits when it comes to the cold,” you supplied, offering the best reassuring smile you could. Whether or not you were trying to be reassuring for them or yourself was questionable. 

“True,” Heero commented. Quatre remained quiet as he shifted his gaze from you to Heero. 

“Anyway, I'm sure he wouldn't want the three of us lingering in the hallway worrying about his well-being while there was a party going on.” You walked away from the window and walked back toward the party, missing the exchange of looks between the two friends. 

Taking your own advice, you tried your best to mingle with everyone in the ballroom. You even danced to a few songs as a distraction. As the evening began winding down, you glanced down at the simple, silver watch on your wrist and saw that it was near ten. It was only a few moments later when Quatre took to the stage where the orchestra was and began his 'thank you' speech to all the attendees. A quick glance to the side entrance of the ballroom confirmed that Nikki and Vicky were on standby. 

Good. 

“And above all else, I want to thank everyone for attending today's celebration. I know that it's busy this time of year, and I'm truly grateful and blessed that everyone could make the time to be here. Thank you,” Quatre said, a round of applause erupting throughout the ballroom at the conclusion of his speech. 

Before he could leave the stage, however, movement from the side of the ballroom caught his attention. The staff working for the evening walked toward the stage, pushing a trolley with a four-layered cake on top. Leading the group were none other than Irene and Sylvia. 

“Wha--”

“Happy birthday, Quatre!” Sylvia exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around her brother in a tight hug. The crowd erupted into another round of applause and cheers as Irene joined her sister in hugging Quatre. His face dusted a light shade of pink as his eyes searched the crowd before they landed on you. Averting your gaze, you tried to suppress a grin as you found your shoes absolutely fascinating.

You may or may not have helped his sisters with their little plan. 

Lifting your gaze, you found the twins to the side with wide grins and their thumbs held up in success. You offered a smile of your own and reciprocated their action. Though you were sure Quatre would harass you about your involvement in the morning, you regretted nothing. 

An hour later after cake had been distributed and festivities began anew, you found yourself back into your normal role and escorted guests toward the foyer as they left. There was no point in attempting to blend into the crowd any longer. You almost felt like Cinderella-- putting on a pretty dress, pretending to be something that you weren't. And just like in the story, everything would go back to normal at the stroke of midnight.

All that was missing were Prince Charming and a slipper.

After escorting the last guest to the exit, you closed the door and pressed your forehead against the cool wood. The magic of the night had run its course and left you feeling tired. Now that everyone was gone, you didn't need to fake a smile to keep up appearances. You didn't need to pretend that everything was okay. You were disappointed, frustrated, and worried. 

But more than anything, you were sad. 

You pushed away from the door and slowly made your way down the hall toward your quarters. So caught up in your thoughts, you didn't hear the sound of footsteps as they hurried down the hallway toward you. 

“Ma'am!” Before you fully realized it, the twins had latched on to each of your arms. 

“Nikki? Vicky? I thought you girls had gone home.” You saw panic in their eyes and furrowed your brows in worry. “What's wrong?”

“Ma'am, there's an emergency in the kitchen! You need to come quick!” Nikki exclaimed, pulling on your arm in the direction of the kitchen. 

“Please, hurry!” Vicky added as she followed her sister's actions and pulled on your arm. 

“Okay, okay! Let's go,” you said, allowing the twins to pull you along to the kitchen. 

You wondered what could possibly have happened to warrant such an emergency. Surely if it was something like a fire, the remaining staff would have called the fire department. Maybe there was an accident and someone needed attention. Your mind was flooded with possibilities, each more severe than the last as your trio neared your destination. About ten meters before reaching the kitchen, they both let go of your arms and rushed through the door. The sudden loss of their pulling caused you to stumble, but you quickly regained your footing before pausing at the kitchen door. Your brows furrowed in confusion.

Beyond the door was silent.

What was going on?

Cautiously, you opened the kitchen door.

“Surprise!!”

You stood wide eyed on the black and white checkered floor of the kitchen. Before you were all the people you had befriended over the past year while working there. Your eyes scanned over the familiar faces that smiled brightly at you-- Quatre, Heero, Relena, Trowa, Catherine, Irene, Sylvia, Nikki, Vicky, and all the staff that you saw on a daily basis. 

“Happy Birthday!!” everyone cheered in unison. Surprise was evident on your face as your gaze landed on the simple, two layered cake on the middle of the counter. 

“H-how?” was all you were able to say. How did anyone know that it was your birthday? You hadn't told anyone here when it was. The only person you told was--

“Duo told us,” Quatre supplied. “This surprise party was actually his idea.”

Overcome with emotion, you clenched your eyes shut and pressed a hand against your mouth to keep yourself from crying. How long had it been since someone actually wished you a happy birthday? After your father's death, you quit celebrating your birthday. You never stayed long enough in one spot to gain enough friends to celebrate it. But here you were, celebrating with people that had only shown you care and kindness.

And it was all thanks to Duo.

“(Y/n), come blow out the candles and make a wish!” Sylvia said as she approached your side and ushered you toward the counter. Two numbered candles representing your current age were lit on the top layer of the cake. You knew exactly what your wish would be.

_'I wish Duo was here.'_

With a shaky breath, you blew out the candles. Everyone cheered and gave a round of applause, but you couldn't share their enthusiasm. There was a piece missing from your perfect eveing. And though you understood the circumstances, part of you wanted to be selfish. You wished by some miracle that Duo would burst through the door, and for a fleeting moment, you honestly believed he would.

But as the clock struck midnight, the magic ended and the spell was broken. 

Your heart clenched painfully at your wistful wishing. As your mind came back down to reality, you weren't aware of the tears until you felt them as they rolled down your cheeks. 

“Hey, what's wrong? Birthdays are supposed to be happy times,” Sylvia said, concern evident in her voice as she wrapped you in a hug. Her kindness only served to feed your tears. 

“I'm sorry,” you whispered, sniffling and trying your best to stop crying. “Maybe I'm just...tired.” 

“I'm sure you've had a long day,” Relena chimed in as she came over and placed a comforting hand on your shoulder.

You rubbed your hands across your face to clear it of your tears before you turned to everyone with the best smile you could manage.

“Thank you so much everyone. It's been years since I last celebrated my birthday, and everyone has been so kind to me since I arrived here. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

Eventually, the tears stopped, and you excused yourself from the party. It was nearing one in the morning, and you were exhausted. The day's events had certainly taken its toll on you, both mentally and emotionally. You made your way upstairs to your quarters and changed out of your party dress into a pair of sweatpants and a sweatshirt. After removing your make-up, you leaned your shoulder against the wall beside your window and gazed into the night. 

The snow had stopped hours ago, but even the small amount that clung to the ground seemed to glow. Your room had a decent view as it overlooked the side of the property and part of the private road that lead to the front. A black limousine caught your eye as it carefully made its way down the road before it disappeared over a hill. You were about to turn away but paused when you saw oncoming headlights. There was a single headlight that you assumed belonged to a motorcycle of sorts followed by a pair belonging to a second vehicle. Despite the obvious danger that snow posed, the driver of the motorcycle paid it no mind as it raced down the private road. 

Your eyes went wide as you gasped. 

“No way...” you whispered. 

With your fatigue gone, you immediately bolted from your room and ran down the hallway barefoot. Your heart pounded with renewed vigor as possibilities and hopes raced through your mind. Was it Duo? Had you birthday wish actually come true?

You took the stairs two at a time and nearly tripped once you got to the bottom. Thankfully, you caught yourself on the banister before you made contact with the floor. Not sparing another moment, you ran in the direction of the foyer, passing Quatre and Trowa as they were headed in the opposite direction. Your mind registered that Quatre said something to you, but your mind was too focused on the task at hand. Just as you rounded the corner, the front door flew open, followed by shouts.

“Duo! Are you out of your mind?!” 

You recognized the voice as Wufei's.

You slowed to a stop as the foyer came into view, your breaths labored from running. Standing dead center of the entryway was Duo in all this glory. Behind him, Wufei and a female you hadn't met entered the building, both frantically trying to get Duo to stop his intrusion. Despite the chaos around, the world seemed to stop when your eyes met cobalt. 

Aside from the frenzied yet determined look in his eyes, Duo looked every bit as gorgeous as you remembered. He wore a leather jacket that hugged his figure perfectly and held his black helmet loosely in his right hand. His unruly bangs hung freely over his eyes while a few strands of hair stuck out from his braid. Everything down to his black boots was utterly perfect and so _him_. 

The world once again started moving when you noticed the trail of blood along Duo's temple.

“Duo! Are you okay?” Panic filled you as you rushed to him. You placed one hand on his shoulder while the other one reached up and swept his bangs to the side. You sucked in a sudden breath at the nasty looking gash above his eyebrow. 

“I'm fine. It's just a scratch,” Duo answered, his voice low and oddly somber. He placed his left hand on your hip to steady you as you examined his wound. 

“What happened?” you said almost breathlessly. 

“Things didn't go quite as planned on this last mission, and we were ambushed. We just got back, but this idiot decided to forego medical treatment and immediately headed here,” Wufei supplied. “A rather reckless move, might I add.”

“Okay, Mom,” Duo said as he rolled his eyes at his friend's lecture. “Like I said, it's just a scratch.”

“But what if you had a concussion? Driving the way you were with a concussion could have ended badly,” the female said, giving Duo a concerned look. 

At that point, Duo ignored the worries of his friends and focused solely on you. Dropping his helmet to the ground, he placed his hands on either side of your neck and brushed his thumbs against your jawline to redirect your attention to him instead of his wound. He wore a defeated, guilty look on his face.

“I'm so, so sorry.” Despite the crowd around you, his gentle apology felt incredibly intimate. Normally, you shied away from such intimacy. Maybe it was because you were tired or because you were overcome with worry, but you couldn't find it in yourself to care about the public display.

“For what?” you asked, your voice just as gentle as his own. 

He released a heavy sigh before replying, “For not being here. You never showed it, but I know today meant a lot to you. I should have been there, but I wasn't. I wanted your birthday to be as special as you.”

Once again, tears fell from your eyes before you could stop them. Even though you had wanted to be the one to confess how you felt to Duo, it seemed he beat you to it. Though he didn't say the words outright, the look in his eyes and his actions up to that point conveyed all you needed to know.

In that moment, you just _knew_.

Without a word, you grabbed the front of Duo's leather jacket and pulled him down and stood on the balls of your feet. 

Your lips met his in a heated, passionate kiss.


End file.
